Surviving Sunday: Packers News, Notes and Links for the Football Deprived

The only thing you need to survive this Sunday without Packers football is Tom Silverstein’s story in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on the Packers front office and scouting operation.

Once again, the Packers were shorthanded at the NFL combine thanks to the departure of John Dorsey for Kansas City. In 2011, John Schneider left for Seattle and Reggie McKenzie departed for Oakland in 2012. All three of Ted Thompson’s right-hand men took general manager jobs.

You want your favorite NFL team to have as much talent as possible, both on the field and in the front office. It’s never a good thing to lose a talented player, just like it’s never a good thing to lose a talented executive. Silverstein’s story does a nice job of showing just how much of a team sport scouting, player evaluation and draft day can be.

However, every team has a star. On the field, the Packers have Aaron Rodgers. In the front office, they have Thompson.

As long as Rodgers is playing, the Packers should be good. As long as Thompson is the general manager, the front office should be fine.

I don’t get overly worried when Packers executives start making their annual exit from Green Bay for opportunities elsewhere. As long as Thompson is around, the Packers should remain on the right track. He’s the star. He’s the one that makes everything go.

Yes, Thompson has been fortunate to have talented current and former staff members, but he’s the one who makes the final call on everything personnel related. Thompson is the man who deserves the credit when a personnel move works out. He’s also the one to blame if something backfires. The Packers front office sinks or swims based on Thompson’s decisions.

Every team, and every front office, needs depth. You can never have too much talent. But as long as your main guys are around — Rodgers on the field, Thompson in the front office — things should be OK in Green Bay.

Packers News and Notes

$14 million per year for Greg Jennings? All it takes is one team, but I don’t see it happening. Jennings should be happy to get $14-17 million guaranteed over the life of a deal instead of $14 million per season in addition to any type of signing bonus.

Do you want your NFL combine coverage to have a Packers and Wisconsin focus? Then check out Brian Carriveau‘s reporting from Indy at CheeseheadTV.com.

Ted Thompson spoke on Friday at the combine (video here). Shockingly, he listed who the Packers will target in free agency, gave specific analysis on a number of players, revealed the Packers entire draft board, and tested out 20 minutes of his new stand up comedy act. (Actually, he did none of these things. How awesome would it be if Thompson actually was working on a standup comedy act? I guess some people might say that bringing Dom Capers back is a joke.)

Want to know how various players at the NFL combine measure up? Read Evan “Tex” Western’s recent position by position measurement posts at Acme Packing Company.

Was cutting Charles Woodson one of Ted Thompson’s best decisions? John Rehor at Packerstalk.com thinks it might be. After you’re done reading John’s post, be sure to check out the many podcasts hosted on the site. After you’re done listening to all the podcasts, read John’s other post from this week about the NFL Network’s list of the top 10 Packers of all-time. Then you should maybe take a break from all the Packers coverage and go hang out with your wife and kids or something.

You know we’re all doomed when members of Slayer use the internet to bicker with each other. What happened to taking out your anger by cranking Raining Blood and War Ensemble?

Sony announced details for the Playstation 4. Yawn…Call me an old man, but who cares about posting pictures and videos of your gaming achievements to Facebook and Twitter? I like video games because I can mock and ridicule my friends in-person after I use the Packers to beat them on Madden. A camera on the controller? Video game controllers are for killing aliens and making animated recreations of your favorite football players score touchdowns. Doesn’t Sony make actual cameras for taking pictures?

——————

Adam Czech is a a freelance sports reporter living in the Twin Cities and a proud supporter of American corn farmers. When not working, Adam is usually writing about, thinking about or worrying about the Packers. Follow Adam on Twitter. Twitter .

Post navigation

I’d like to see the Packers keep Jennings but after watching some of these receivers get the contracts they did last year, I don’t see how. I don’t think anyone will throw him 14 million a year but even at say 9 million, that’s to steep for the Packers to pay AND keep Rodgers, Raji, and Matthews right? I’d much rather see them sign a Sammie Hill of Detroit and Steven Jackson with that 9 million. Might not even take 9 million.

Adam Czech

I’d like to see the Packers franchise him, but I doubt they’d do that.

http://allpackers.com Nick Perry

I’d like to see that too. Now tonight, there’s reports that the Packers may do just that. That makes the most sense and we get the choice this year. At least I hope we would.

JimR_in_DC

I’ve heard talk of franchise and trade. It’ll be interesting to see what really happens with Jennings, and also with Finley.

Chad Toporski

That article on Tarantino and Pulp Fiction is amazing. Thanks for sharing!

JohnBlood27

Yet again you have taken as much time from me as an NFL game with your list of articles to take a look at.

I have found some excellent reading referenced in your Surviving Sunday column.